Lesson 7

November 11 - 17

As the Needle to the Pole

Sabbath Afternoon
November 11

GOD IS THE ULTIMATE MODEL OF INTEGRITY.
"God is light and in Him is no darkness at all"
(1
John 1:5). James refers to "the Father of all lights, with whom there
is never the slightest variation or shadow of inconsistency"
(James
1:17b, Philips). Eugene Peterson renders the same verse, "There is nothing
deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle" (The Message).
God is the epitome of authenticity.

As King of the universe, God is also the Pattern for rulers and persons of
authority on earth, mingling justice and mercy, righteousness and peace.
Revenge is a temptation to those with power, as is deceit, but those who
are committed to integrity find that "God keeps his promise, and he will
not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time
you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and
so provide you a way out"
(1
Cor. 10:13, TEV).

The majority of us are not "kings," but we do bear various levels of
responsibility. Integrity is for us, as well.

"The greatest want of the world is the want of menmen who will not
be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men
who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is true
to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though
the heavens fall."Education, p.
57 (emphasis supplied).

Sunday November 12

In Bible times, both in Israel and other nations, kings were supreme judges.
The author of most of the proverbs was a king whose wise judgments were recorded
for future generations, but Solomon was not always wise. Tragically, he wandered
away from God's ideal of just and faithful kingship.

The practices of the king usually became those of his people. He either set
a pattern of purity, truth, justice, and honesty, or he led his people down
the path of disloyalty to God into impurity, idolatry, injustice, and dishonesty.

Of course, none of us are kings, but each of us can appreciate a just ruler.
Moreover, God gives each of us some responsibility, some important trust
for which we are accountable to the Master. In the advice given for long-ago
rulers, we will discover valuable gems that can enable us to deal fairly
with those whose lives we touch.

"Christ was establishing a kingdom on different principles. He called men,
not to authority, but to service, the strong to bear the infirmities of the
weak. Power, position, talent, education, placed their possessor under greater
obligation to serve his fellows."The Desire of Ages,
p. 550.

Proverbs
20:28 mentions the characteristics of God. (See
Ps.
85:9, 10.) The delightful paradox is that God is both perfectly just
and perfectly merciful. He is so just that He cannot save for eternity a
sinner who refuses to accept His atonement for sin. He is so merciful that
He can forgive completely and restore to Himself the one who accepts the
atonement provided by His Son. (See
John
3:16, 36.)

"It is the mingling of judgment and mercy that makes salvation full and complete.
It is the blending of the two that leads us, as we view the World's Redeemer
and the law of Jehovah, to exclaim, 'Thy gentleness hath made me great.'
"Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6,
p. 1072.

We may not have a choice regarding the appointment of earthly "kings"
under whom we live. What two choices, however, do we have regarding
spiritual "kings"?

Rulers who choose to serve Christ share God's characteristics. In His reign,
Christ mingles perfect justice
(Matt.
3:12) with infinite mercy
(Eph.
2:4, 5). All who enter into fellowship with the heavenly King will exhibit
the same characteristics. Because His love rules supreme in their hearts,
they are not only unwilling to deny facts but equally unwilling to dethrone
God as the ultimate Judge. Even so, secular authorities are appointed to
pass judgment on those who break the law of the land. The church as a corporate
body has the duty of deciding if a member fails to conform to the standards
governing church membership. (Compare
Matt.
7:1-5 with
1
Cor. 5:12;
6:2,
3;
Rom.
13:1-4.)

If a person in authority pays attention to false information, what will
the official who serves under that person most likely be like?
Prov.
29:12. Why do you think this is so?

Do his servants become wicked? Or are they already wicked? "A king sets his
own policy, but he must depend on information from advisers to help him formulate
that policy. If he only listens to lies from advisers (like King Ahab who
rejected the prophecy of Micaiah in
1
Kings 22), then all the men who surround him will cater to his depravity
and become wicked."Robert L. Alden, Proverbs (Grand Rapids,
Mich.: Baker Book House, 1983), p. 201.

Tuesday November 14

Explain the result of living out in one's own life the principles of
righteousness and mercy.
Prov.
21:21;
11:17.

There is nothing self-serving in the motives of the genuinely merciful person.
But mercy's blessing is twofold. First, kindness reacts on the giver in immediate
happiness because mercy is always a happier way to live. Then kindness bears
fruit in the words and actions of others in whose hearts the seed was planted,
returning to refresh the soul who sowed it there.

Psalm
145:9 teaches that the Lord's "tender mercies are over all his works."
This means that cruelty to animals is in direct opposition to God. Read
Proverbs
12:10. God gave us dominion over the earth for our mutual benefit, not
that we might exploit or ravage it. Scripture classifies those hunters who
kill for sport and pleasure and those who treat domestic animals cruelly
as wicked.

What are the hazards involved in harboring a spirit of revenge toward
those who have wronged us?
Prov.
24:17-20.

"Whoever does not love abides in death"
(1
John 3:14, NRSV). Thus the person who nurses a vengeful spirit is living
outside of Christ. This results in serious damage to one's physical, spiritual,
and psychological health, and ultimately, loss of eternal life. It is far
better to leave an offense with God; He will make it right. He might even
win the offender!

As Christ dwells in our hearts, He enables us to practice the counsel He
gives: "If your enemies are hungry, give them bread to eat; and if they are
thirsty, give them water to drink; for you will heap coals of fire on their
head, and the Lord will reward you"
(Prov.
25:21, 22, NRSV).

"One of the most common sins, and one that is attended with most [destructive]
results, is the indulgence of an unforgiving spirit. How many will cherish
animosity or revenge and then bow before God and ask to be forgiven as they
forgive. Surely they can have no true sense of the import of this prayer
or they would not dare to take it upon their lips. We are dependent upon
the pardoning mercy of God every day and every hour; how then can we cherish
bitterness and malice toward our fellow sinners!"Testimonies for
the Church, vol. 5, p. 170.

Think of a situation in your life in which you showed a merciful,
forgiving spirit toward someone who had wronged you. What was the effect
of your attitude upon: (a) the person you forgave; (b) yourself?

Wednesday November 15

The just are the righteous who have accepted God as their King and who, by
His grace, reflect His character. (See
Isa.
51:1, 7;
Rom.
8:9, 10;
10:6-10.)
They can practice justice in their dealings with their fellow human beings
because the righteousness of Christ lives in their hearts by the indwelling
of the Holy Spirit.

The just and the unjust cannot respect each other's characters. (See
Prov.
29:10, 27.) Yet, the just express their genuine concern for the unjust
by praying and working for them. They truly care.

The Lord never justifies the unjust, nor does He condemn the just. "Acquitting
the guilty and condemning the innocent-the Lord detests them both"
(Prov.
17:15, NIV; see also
Exod.
23:7).

Then what hope is there for us? We are all sinners in the sight of a holy
God
(Rom.
3:10-19). In the light of the Old Testament teaching. how can we explain
Paul's statement, "But to one who without works trusts him who justifies
the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness"?
(Rom.
4:5, NRSV).

The answer is that when Christ justifies the ungodly (the unjust) they do
not remain ungodly. The ungodly are unjustified, unconverted, outside of
Christ, and lost
(1
Tim. 1:9;
1
Pet. 3:7). The justified have been transformed by the power of Christ.
They are now willing slaves to righteousness
(Rom.
6:17, 18). Their lives are in conformity with God's law
(Rom.
8:3, 4) because the Holy Spirit is reigning in their hearts
(vs.
9, 10).

When probation closes a short time before Jesus' second coming, the just
(the righteous) will remain right with God for eternity and the unjust (the
wicked) will remain hateful toward God
(Rev.
22:11). At the Second Advent, the just will be translated and the unjust
will be slain by the brightness of His coming
(1
Thess. 4:16-18;
2
Thess. 1:7-10).

If an unjust person comes to you with the plea that he or she wishes
to experience a change of character and heart, how would you explain from
the Bible the means by which that person can be transformed?

Thursday November 16

Unless Christ reigns supreme in a human heart, the evil one will convey his
characteristics, and there will be no fortress against deception of any form.
Satan will deceive the soul, and that soul, in turn, will practice deception.

List some of the forms of deception practiced by those who do not know
Christ.

True Christians faithfully pay their bills and refuse to be bribed in any
way. They categorically reject any of the many forms of stealing that people
practice and even consider acceptable in our world today. This includes stealing
all the credit for a job well done, even though many others were involved
in the project. Cheating on examinations or as a means of personal advancement
is totally foreign to anyone who serves Christ.

Spiritual toughness is needed. "There is in true Christian character an
indomitableness that cannot be molded or subdued by adverse circumstances.
We must have moral backbone, an integrity that cannot be flattered, bribed,
or terrified."The Ministry of Healing,
p. 498.

"As far as possible, you should come into harmony with your brethren and
sisters. You should surrender yourselves to God and cease to manifest sternness
and a disposition to find fault. You should yield your own spirit and take
in its place the spirit of the dear Saviour. Reach up and grasp His hand,
that the touch may electrify you and charge you with the sweet properties
of His own matchless character. You may open your hearts to His love, and
let His power transform you and His grace be your strength. Then will you
have a powerful influence for good. Your moral strength will be equal to
the closest test of character. Your integrity will be pure and sanctified.
Then will your light break forth as the morning."Testimonies for
the Church, vol. 4, p. 63.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1.

What truth is there for today's church leaders in the fact that the
practices of the king usually became those of his people? Do we as
church members have the right to expect church leaders to set a pattern of
purity, truth, justice, and honesty? Explain. What should we
do if they do not? Is our spirituality dependent upon theirs?
Explain.

2.

Being kind benefits us not only spiritually but physically. How
is this so?

3.

Proverbs
4:18 says that the "path of the righteous [the just] is like the first
gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day." How
is this so?

SUMMARIZE this week's lesson by examining
your heart with the following questions: Am I God's friend as God considers
true friendship? Do I receive favors from God without acknowledging their
Source? Am I as ready to extend finite, human mercy as I am to ask for God's
forgiveness and mercy? How can I in my inmost soul be as true to duty as
the needle to the pole? Were the final decision of the judgment to be made
today, where would I find my place?

The Fire Storm

J. H. Zachary

Most of us live in a world isolated from the tragedies that befall Christians
in other lands. For several years increased violence against Christians in
India received little public notice until an evangelical missionary, Graham
Staines, and his two young sons were burned alive in their jeep by a group
of Hindu extremists early in 1999.

Adventists have not escaped the violence against Christians in India. During
a lay training program in Madras, a young man named Samson related his story.

Samson comes from a village in central India. During evangelistic meetings
he and his family learned about the Bible Sabbath and decided to follow the
clear teaching of God's Word.

The Christian community grew until one in every three villagers was a Christian.
The non-Christians began to feel threatened. Who would control community
politics?

Then one day concern boiled over into violence. Christians had to flee for
their lives. Their livestock was stolen, and their homes were looted and
set afire. Fifteen young Christians who tried to resist their attackers were
hacked to death. Their bodies were piled up in the village square, dowsed
with gasoline, and set ablaze. Samson's church lost one member in the massacre.

The government arrested 54 persons, but the non-Christian majority had so
many friends in high positions that soon all of those who had been arrested
were released on bail. For nine months the Christians who fled the village
lived as refugees in a distant village.

Samson and other Christians have since returned to their village. They are
attempting to start over, but it takes time to build a home, build up new
flocks and herds, and establish a new farming routine. The Christians pray
that they can form new relationships among the many religious communities
in the village. But that is difficult when they have watched some of their
numbers die.

In spite of the terrorism, the Adventist church has continued to grow. It
now has more than 110 members, with another 80 members in nearby villages.

It is so easy to become news-hardened. The pictures of tears, death, and
suffering barely interrupt our busy schedules. May we do our best to reach
out in love and prayer on behalf of those who suffer for Christ's sake.

J. H. Zachary is coordinator of international evangelism for The Quiet
Hour and a special consultant for the General Conference Ministerial
Association.